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This second, probably final trailer for Valkyrie, the new movie from director Bryan Singer (Superman Returns) and writers Christopher McQuarrie (The Way Of The Gun) and newcomer Nathan Alexander based on the true story of several German officers who plotted to assassinate Adolf Hitler in 1944 looks like it was made specifically to please all those who were unenthusiastic about the first one, by adding a more cliché kind of tension and showcasing more action.

I thought the first trailer was more engaging, since this one really is a lot more stereotypical, but if it gets more people to go see it, then fine. Reaction to this movie so far has baffled me. That whole argument about already knowing the ending, isn’t that true about every movie based on a true story? And since when do people pay so much attention to accents when English-speaking people play characters of other nationalities? Anyway, star Tom Cruise (Tropic Thunder) had this to say in a recent interview:

You know, we spent a lot of time going back and forth over that. All of a sudden you’re listening to people trying to put on accents and Bryan finally said, ‘No, no, no.’ Just tell the story. We don’t want to do an accent movie, just try and find something neutral that won’t distract from the story and the characters.

Also the talent contained in this film is amazing. In addition to Cruise, Valkyrie stars Kenneth Branagh (Five Children And It), Terence Stamp (Get Smart), Tom Wilkinson (RocknRolla), Stephen Fry (St. Trinian’s), Eddie Izzard (Across The Universe), Thomas Kretschmann (Wanted), Bill Nighy (Hot Fuzz) and WW2 regular Carice Van Houten (Black Book) among others. It will be released in the US and Austria on December 26th, and most other countries in January or February 2009.

You can watch a well-made behind the scenes featurette after the jump. As for the poster, I think it looks pretty cool, but yet somehow feel it doesn’t really suit the film. What do you think of the new trailer and poster?

Do you live in or near Paris, the city of lights itself? If so, you can be among the first few to view Inside Man director Spike Lee’s latest film, the World War 2 drama Miracle At St. Anna, which premieres today at the Toronto Film Festival.

The anticipated film will screen as part of a mini Spike Lee festival organized by the Cinémathèque Française. Go here to buy seats while you still can!

Miracle At St. Anna tells the story, through flashback, of four African-American “Buffalo Soldiers” who are trapped behind enemy lines in 1944 Tuscany, after one of them saved an Italian boy. It stars Derek Luke (Definitely, Maybe), John Turturro (You Don’t Mess With The Zohan), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Stop-Loss), John Leguizamo (The Happening) and Kerry Washington (the Fantastic Four films) among others. Author James McBride wrote the script based on his own novel. Trailer after the jump.